Disclamer: I sadly don't own any of it... only Cassandra Clare can claim that right :)
A/N: This is just a oneshot (my very first) as an expansion on the scene where Clary's partner rune is tested and distributed, and Alec and Magnus and seen kissing before the battle in City of Glass. Some sections are directly from the book from pages 418-419, 422-424.

Hope you guys like it!

The air was thick with tension as Jocelyn carefully marked Luke with the new rune Clary had created. She trusted her daughter, but this was beyond what anybody could comprehend; marking downworlders was forbidden by the clave and here they all were, testing it on Luke of all people. While he may have been a shadowhunter at one time, he was now one of the Children of the Moon. These past months though, she really had missed him; her body might have non responsive, but her mind had been alert. Every day she had heard his voice, talking to her. She could usually hear the tears in his voice as he retold everything that was going on. She knew he cared for her but now she was beginning to realize that she might be in love with him. For years she had forced herself to think of him as nothing more than a friend, because Clary wouldn't have understood, and besides, they were in hiding, from the entire shadowhunter world. Now though, now she wasn't sure; Clary had grown up and they weren't in hiding anymore. Could she dare to think of him as anything more? There was a collective gasp as she finished of the rune, it glowed a bit, but there was no other result which brought on a sigh of relief from all their onlookers.

Away from the crowd of adults, the teenagers were gathering, wishing they could be a part of the upcoming battle. Only a few lucky, or unlucky depending how you saw it, were old enough to fight and were talking in hushed whispers about who they would want as a partner. Though there were still some who doubted Clary, simply because she was Valentine's daughter, no one was willing to speak up now that all the adults and more importantly the representatives of each group had agreed to the bonding.

Alec's face lit up. ""There's Magnus," he said, and took off without a backward glance, shearing a path through the crowd to the space where the tall warlock stood. Magnus's surprise as Alec approached him was visible, even from a distance.

"It's sort of sweet," said Isabelle, looking at them "you know, in kind of a lame way."

"Why lame?"

"Because," explained Isabelle, looking back to Simon, "Alec's trying to get Magnus to take him seriously, but he's never told our parents about Magnus, or even that he likes, you know —"

"Warlocks?" Simon said, smirking at her expression.

"Very funny," Isabelle glared at him, turning away to look at Alec and Magnus again.

"Alec?" Magnus said, staring at Alec as if he'd never seen him before.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Alec exclaimed.

"Why?" Magnus asked, a little cruelly.

Alec's face fell, "I...I thought we would be partners..."Alec said, sounding hurt. Magnus could hear real pain in Alec's voice so he tried to soften his tone.

"What about your parents? I suppose it would be foolish to hope you've told them about... us?"

Alec looked away, biting his lip as the blood rose to his face. "I... well..." he stammered, unable to admit that he had in fact, not told his parents yet, and didn't really know when he would.

With a heavy sigh, "Alec, I've been alive for so many years, and I..." Magnus continued to talk but all that was lost to Alec. He studied the scene that surrounded them. Everywhere, he could see Downworlders and Shadowhunters mingling, though some more hesitant than others as Clary's new rune was circulated amongst them all. He could see his mother marking a green-skinned faerie, and his father, holding his hand out to a warlock with green spiky hair.

"Alec!" said Magnus, with a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "Have you even heard a word I said in the last two minutes?

Startled, Alec looked back at Magnus, "I, ah," he glanced at his shoes, embarrassed. After all, he had been the one to come to Magnus, so he should have been listening.

Sighing, Magnus looked at Alec, "I didn't think so. I said, we should get away from the crowd to mark each other, if we are to be partners. That is why you came here, is it not?"

With a look of surprise on his face, Alec snapped his head up to look at the warlock. "Really? But you were mad at me!" he said, the shock apparent in his voice. Things had just been so off with them lately, and he honestly had expected Magnus to be a bit more upset with him.

"Alec," he sighed again, trying to gather his thoughts. "I was just hurt," he explained after a pause, "I know you're afraid to tell your parents and that their acceptance means a lot to you. I promise not to push you to do something you're not comfortable with."

Alec blinked a few times, caught off guard by the apology. Trying to give himself something to do Alec took out his stele and then gently picked up his partner's hand. Staring intently at the hand as he drew out the rune Clary had created, he spoke quietly but fervently.

"No Magnus, I'm sorry, and I promise to try harder in our relationship. I realize I've brushed you aside when there are others around and I won't do that anymore"

Alec blushed a little bit, but continued, "I like you Magnus, I really do, and I don't want to lose that."

Magnus stared at Alec; he had never been so forward with his emotions, and it would have been hard for him to say what he did.

Alec slowly lifted the stele, having completed the rune, but he held on to his hand and looked up at Magnus's face; he knew there were a lot of people around including his parents, but one glance at his partner's face and he had made a desicion. His parents would be shocked, yes, but it was now or never.

Magnus was still staring at him, his mouth slightly open. "Alec... I- " but his words were cut short as Alec leaned forward, crushing his lips against the warlock's, looping his arms around Magnus's neck.

Taken aback by this move, Magnus froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Alec could hear the whispers starting as everyone around them took in what they were seeing, but he didn't care. He had finally done it! If his parents had a problem with it, he atleast knew that Jace, Isabelle, and Clary would support him. Still kissing Magnus, he smiled a bit. What should have been a grim day had suddenly become one the best in his whole life.

Maia glanced around, taking in all the faeries and werewolves that stood alongside a Shadowhunter. She, like the rest of the Pack had been filled in by Luke, as to what exactly was to happen. But then Luke had run off, probably to find Clary's mother, what was her name again? Oh, right, Jocelyn. She'd asked Luke if they were together but he's said that they were just good friends. She figured it was mostly true, but she'd seen the way he looked at her. It was like how Clary looked at Jace, or Simon at Clary. Maia cursed herself silently; she'd promised herself that she wouldn't think of Sim—, the vampire boy. But when she saw him, she couldn't help but smile, even as her heart skipped a beat. Slowly, she made her way towards Simon an Isabelle. She wondered if they would be partners in the battle, whatever that meant.

"What's going on here is—"

"What is going on, exactly?" asked Maia, striding into earshot, interrupting Isabelle. "I mean, I don't quite get this partners thing. How is it supposed to work?"
Isabelle frowned at her; this girl was getting annoying really fast.

"Well- " she started but got cut off by Simon who could sense the tension in her voice.

"Like that," Simon pointed toward Alec and Magnus, who stood a bit apart from the crowd, in their own small space. Alec was drawing on Magnus's hand, his face intent, his dark hair falling forward to hide his eyes.

"So we all have to do that?" Maia said. "Get drawn on, I mean."

"Only if you're going to fight" Isabelle said, looking at the other girl coldly. "You don't look eighteen yet."

Maia smiled tightly. "I'm not a Shadowhunter. Lycanthropes are considered adults at sixteen."

"Well, you have to get drawn on, then," said Isabelle. "By a Shadowhunter, so you'd better look for one."

"But—" Maia, still looking over at Alec and Magnus, broke off, and raised her eyebrows. Simon turned to see what she was looking at— and stared.
Alec had his arms around Magnus and was kissing him, full on the mouth. Magnus, who appeared to be in a state of shock, stood frozen. Several groups of people, Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike— were staring and whispering. Glancing to the side, Maia saw the Lightwoods, their eyed wide, gaping and the display. Mayrse had her hand over her mouth.

Looking perplexed, she turned back to the two next to her; Isabelle didn't seem surprised at all, instead she had a small smile on her face, and she looked almost proud of her brother. Simon on the other hand was grinning, trying really hard to control his laughter.

"Wait a second," she said, smirking, do we all have to that too?"